Animal-hopple.



A. B. SMITH.

ANIMAL HOPPLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9. I917.

1,278,239. v Patentedflept. 10,1918

ALFRED B. SMITH, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS.

ANIMAL-HQPPLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. to, 1918.

Application filed. April 9, 1917. Serial No. 160,639.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED B. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,,residing at T0- peka, in the county ofShawnee and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Animal-Hopples, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an animal hopple intended for use on cows to prevent them from kicking and to hold them still during milking, and is an improvement on the device of similar general nature set forth in Patent No. 858,633, granted to me July 2, 1907.

The object of the present invention is to improvethe means for fastening the loops to the shackles, by the use of a flexible fastening comprising relativelylarge eyelets en-' gaging in holes through the shackle, and the parts being so arranged that when the applianceis'on the animals legs the eyeletsare projected inwardlyand serve as a very effective' means for locking the shackle on the leg, and or removed from the leg, the eyelet is turned so as to permit the shackle to be slipped easily on or off. A further object is to provide'an extension on the slotted chain lock-" ing member to facititate the releasing of the chain.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification and in the description of the drawings, I have shown my invention in its preferred form and what I deem to be the best mode of applying the principles thereof; but it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, I contemplate changes in form, proportions and materials, the transposition of parts and the substitution of equivalent members, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved device, the parts being approximately in the position occupied when applied to the animals legs. Fig. 2 is a view of the shackle to which the chain is permanently attached, the chain being partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a view of the shackle to which the chain is adjustably attachable.

Similar reference characters indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

The two shackle members 4, 5 are formed of metal plates or bands to fit rather snugly around the back and sides of the ham strings of a cow, and each has the two holes 7, 7 adjacent to the end of one of its legs,

when the shackle'is to be applied to the outside leg when the shackle is on the cow, and the ends being bent slightly out wardly, as shown at 6, 6, to facilitate slip ping the shackles onto the cows legs. To each shackle'is secured a loop 8, 11, by means of relatively large eyelets 9, 9 which engage in the'respective holes. Toone of the loops is secured one end of a chain 10 which is passed through the other. loop and provided at its end with a ring 14. The outer end of the loop 11 is formed as a slot communicating with the opening through the loop and is. adapted to receive a link of the chain ed'gewise while the next link, being crosswise of the slot, holds the chain from slipping through. The extreme end of this loop has an extension 13, which is made by merely twisting the end of the slot portion. Preferably the loops are made of wire or metal rods" formed into the shapes shown. After the'parts arepassembled the chain cannot be taken out of the slotted loop because of the ring at one end and the loop 8 at the other. j "The holes through which the eyelets are secured are also relatively large. By relatively large, as applied to the holes and'the eyeletsfIintend to convey the meaning that they serve something more that a mere pivot or fastening for securing the loop members to the shackle members; in particular, the eyelets are so large that when the loops are drawn forward along the leg of the animal to which the shackle is applied, the inner portion of the eyelets will project inwardly into the depression immediately in front of the ham string. But in putting the shackles on or taking them off, the loops may be turned outwardly so as to permit the shackles freely passing over the ham strings, as indicated in the dotted outline in Fig 1; and this free movement is permitted by reason of the relatively large holes.

To apply the device to the cow, the shackles are merely slipped onto the ham strings from the rear with the loops and eyelets on the outer sides of the legs and the chain in front. The chain is drawn through the slotted loop until the proper length exists between the legs of the cow, and the.

link of the chain adjacent is slipped into the slot. The chain also draws forward the two loops so that the eyelets are projected inwardly, as explained. Should they be applied rather loosely, it will be understood that any moveme t of the animal spreading To take the device off, the chain is pulled backward at the loop 11 to'free the links from the slot, and the chain is permitted to be drawn through that loop, and the shackles slipped off with the loops turned outwardly,

. as explained. To facilitate the taking off,

however, especially when the chain is drawn up tight, the extension 13 is provided to afford a'hand hold for swinging the loop around to the right (viewed in Fig. 1) until it is clear of the animals leg, to permit the more free rearward or link-releasing movement of the chain, '7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is.

1. The combination of a pair ofshackle members, each being formed to embrace the rear and sides of an animals leg and each being formed with two spaced holes adjacent thefront endaof the outer leg of such member, a pair of loops formed With eyelets engaging in the respective holes, and a chain secured at one of its ends to oneof said loops and passing through the other loop and having alarge terminal ring incapable of passing through the last-named loop, the last-named loop being formed with a terminal slot communicating with the opening therethrough for locking the chain and with an integrally formed extension beyond said slot for manipulating said loop; said eyelets and said holes being relatively large 'so that rearward movement of the loops and their outward swinging movement cause sald eyelets to recede from. the opposite leg of the shackle and so that the forward movement of the loops cause said eyelets to move opening therethrough for looking the chain;

said holes and said eyelets being relatively large so that forward pulling of the loops causesaiol eyelets to move across the space.

between the legs and so that rearward movement and the outward swinging of the loops 7 cause said eyelets to" recede therefrom.

In testimony. whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature. I

ALFRED B. sMI'TH. J

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. t Y a 

